Heavy 78.4% turnout in panchayat poll

Bhanu P Lohumi

Tribune News Service

Shimla, January 17

Defying age and beating biting cold conditions, first voter of Independent India Shyam Saran Negi (104) today exercised his franchise, keeping his record of voting in all the elections in tact.

Negi cast his vote at the Government Senior Secondary School, Kalpa in tribal Kinnaur district where he had voted for the first time on October 25, 1951 and earned the sobriquet of the first voter. Negi has been a witness to election process starting from putting the stamp on ballot paper to EVM and now the VVPAT.

Negi was given a red carpet welcome. Despite being unwell with impaired hearing and vision, he came to the polling booth in a vehicle provided by the administration and walked to the booth escorted by the election staff, said SP Kinnaur Saju Ram Rana.

It was a coincidence that he was a school teacher in the same school in 1951 when it was a primary school. Being a member of polling party, he reached early and was the first person to exercise his franchise. Elections in tribal area were held in 1951 ahead of elections in other parts of the country in 1952.

Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur also cast his vote for panchayat elections in Government Primary School Kurani of Murhag Gram Panchayat in Mandi district along with his family members

Heavy polling was reported in the first phase of panchayat elections with 78.40 per cent voters exercising their franchise to elect panchayat president, vice president, members, zila parishad members and panchayat samiti members in 1228 gram panchayats as per the data available.

Heavy polling was recorded and women outnumbered men and 80.10 per cent women cast their vote as compared to 76.80 per cent men. The highest voter turnout was 94 per cent in Rihada gram panchayat in development block Naggar of Kullu district.

As many as 123 Covid -19 patients and isolation voters cast their votes by following the standard operating procedures. Long queues of voters were seen outside the polling booths. Polling was peaceful and no untoward incident was reported from any part of the state

The elections were not held on party symbols and counting of votes of president, vice president and panchayat members (panch) commenced immediately after the polling. The second and third phase of elections would be held on January 19 and 21, respectively.